What stands out worked out from the figures below

Dudley has the most homeowners (73.1%).

Central Falls has grown the fastest since 2010 (+16.6%).

What matters to you?

Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Dudley	Central Falls
People
Population	11,929Lowest	22,701Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+4.7%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+16.6%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	40.2±2.4Highest 3% above U.S.	32.5±2.3Lowest 16% below U.S.
Kids under 18	20.6%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 22%	26.1%±3.7Highest U.S.: 22%
	Central Falls and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+	16.9%±3Highest U.S.: 17.2%	10.7%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	24.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	10.8%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	13.1%±2Highest U.S.: 6.4%	4.6%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$84,604±$12kHighest 5% above U.S.	$49,285±$8kLowest 39% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$392,600±$19kHighest 18% above U.S.	$352,100±$30kLowest 6% above U.S.
	Dudley and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,217±$182Highest 14% below U.S.	$1,200±$75Lowest 15% below U.S.
	Dudley and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$3,691Lowest 18% above U.S.	$3,744Highest 20% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	47.4%±4.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	56.7%±8.2Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Central Falls and Dudley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	24.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	25.6%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Highest 13 yrs older than U.S.	1944Lowest 36 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	27 min 4% above U.S.	27 min 4% above U.S.
Work from home	9.1%±2.5Highest U.S.: 15.1%	5.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
	Dudley and Central Falls are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#142 of 282 in MA	#38 of 38 in RI
School district	Dudley-Charlton Reg	Learning Community · Segue Institute for Learning
High school in town	Shepherd Hill Regional High	Central Falls Sr High
Students per teacherat that high school	14.3Lowest	14.6Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.